Which Hydrangea Is Right for You: How to Choose the Right Species from the Variety of Existing Ones

Lush and bright hydrangea bushes can decorate any area with their appearance.

But in order to achieve such an effect, planting a random plant is not enough, notes the expert of the online publication BelNovosti, scientist-agronomist, landscape designer Anastasia Kovrizhnykh and advises first of all to choose the right type of hydrangea, based on the characteristics of the site and your preferences.

There are about 80 varieties of hydrangeas worldwide, and of this impressive number, only 5 are suitable for growing in the middle zone. Let's talk about them in more detail.

Hydrangea

The inflorescences of the tree hydrangea are spherical and are located at the ends of the shoots. Due to the fact that the bushes grow from the base every spring, they can boast high winter hardiness. The varieties are mainly white, for example, Annabelle and White House, but there are also two pink varieties - Hills of Snow and Invincible Spirit.

Hydrangea paniculata

The elongated inflorescences can be white, beige, pink or red – “Vanilla Fraise”, “Pink Diamond”, etc. Their coloring intensifies towards the end of the season. The flowering of panicle hydrangea, which is also distinguished by its winter hardiness, occurs on the shoots of the current year.

Hydrangea macrophylla

This species has the largest spherical inflorescences, which can have different and even two-colored colors. Large-leaved hydrangea does not have sufficient winter hardiness, since it blooms on the shoots of the previous season. Popular varieties are "Green Shadow", "Red Baron", "Nikko Blue" and others.

Oakleaf hydrangea

Oakleaf hydrangea has conical inflorescences and stands out among others for its beautiful foliage color, which is especially effective in the fall. It is not very frost-resistant and, like the large-leaved variety, blooms on last year's shoots, but recovers well. We recommend taking a closer look at the Burgundy and Ice Crystal varieties.

Hydrangea petiolate

It looks like a liana and can be used in vertical gardening or as a ground cover. The inflorescences of the petiolate hydrangea look like flat shields. It tolerates frosts well and is suitable for shaded areas. The most common varieties are "Miranda" and "Cordifolia".

Earlier, the expert told how to properly care for primroses.